The Evening-Watch: A Dialogue by Henry Vaughan | বাংলা লেকচার | Cloud Sc...

The Evening-Watch: A Dialogue

By Henry Vaughan

 

BODY

Farewell! I go to sleep; but when

The day-star springs, I’ll wake again.

 

SOUL

Go, sleep in peace; and when thou liest

Unnumber’d in thy dust, when all this frame

Is but one dram, and what thou now descriest

In sev’ral parts shall want a name,

Then may his peace be with thee, and each dust

Writ in his book, who ne’er betray’d man’s trust!

 

BODY

Amen! but hark, ere we two stray

How many hours dost think ’till day?

 

SOUL

Ah go; th’art weak, and sleepy. Heav’n

Is a plain watch, and without figures winds

All ages up; who drew this circle, even

He fills it; days and hours are blinds.

Yet this take with thee. The last gasp of time

Is thy first breath, and man’s eternal prime.

 

 

Henry Vaughan was a Welsh poet from the 17th century. He wrote religious poems. His poems talk about deep thoughts, the soul, and God. The Evening-Watch: A Dialogue is one of his religious poems. It speaks about life, time, and faith. It is a conversation between the body and the soul. The poem looks at how life is short, and the soul must prepare for heaven. Vaughan uses simple but deep words to talk about death and the afterlife. He believes that people should focus on their souls and not only on their bodies.

Theme:
One important idea in the poem is the shortness of life. Time moves fast, and people must be ready for the end. Another idea is the difference between the body and the soul. The body is weak and temporary, but the soul is eternal. The poem also speaks about faith. It says that only God can give peace and eternal life. It teaches that people should not be afraid of death if they trust in God. Another important idea is the journey of the soul. The poem explains that the soul is more important than earthly things.

Main Ideas of the Poem

1. The Body and Soul are separate – The Body is weak and temporary, while the Soul is strong and eternal.
2. Death is not the end – It is like sleep, and the Body will "wake" in a new existence.
3. God controls time – Human time is an illusion; eternity is real.
4. Death leads to new life – The last breath on earth is the first breath in eternity.

 

Tone:
The tone of the poem is serious. The poet talks about life and death. He uses deep words to make the reader think. The tone is also hopeful. The poem says that if a person believes in God, there is no fear in dying. The words are calm and thoughtful, making the poem feel peaceful.

Mood:
The poem makes the reader feel quiet and thoughtful. It talks about deep ideas, so it makes the reader think about life. The mood is also gentle because the poet talks about peace. The reader may feel sad because the poem speaks about death. But the poem also gives hope, so the reader may feel comforted.

Settings or Background:
The poem was written in the 17th century. At that time, many people were religious. Life was hard, and people thought a lot about death. Vaughan was influenced by Christian ideas. His poetry talks about God and the soul. The poem uses the idea of an “evening watch.” In the past, people had guards who watched at night. This image is used to talk about the end of life. The poem’s setting is in the mind, where the soul and body talk to each other.

Style & Structure:
The poem is written as a dialogue. Two voices speak—the body and the soul. The body speaks about its fears, while the soul speaks with wisdom. The poem uses deep and beautiful words. It has a steady rhythm and smooth flow. Vaughan writes in a simple but powerful way. He often uses religious words. His style is calm and thoughtful. The structure of the poem helps the reader see both sides—the body’s weakness and the soul’s strength.

Characters:

1. The Body: The body is weak and afraid. It knows that life is short. It speaks about its worries. It feels tired and does not want to die. The body does not understand spiritual things.
2. The Soul: The soul is wise and calm. It does not fear death. It believes in God and eternal life. The soul speaks about faith. It tells the body that death is not the end. The soul teaches that heaven is the true home.

Detailed Summary:
The poem is a conversation between the body and the soul. The body starts by speaking about its weakness. It is tired and knows that it will not last forever. It understands that time is moving fast. The body is worried about what will happen after death. It feels afraid because it does not know what will happen to it.

The soul listens to the body’s fears and answers in a calm way. The soul says that the body should not be afraid. Death is not the end, but the beginning of a new life. The soul explains that earthly things are temporary, but the soul will live forever. The soul speaks about heaven. It says that the body should trust in God.

The body feels weak and helpless. It knows that it will grow old and die. It thinks that time moves too fast. The body complains that life is too short. It fears what will happen after death. It does not understand what will come next. The body only thinks about the present and not the future.

The soul speaks again. It tells the body to stop being afraid. The soul knows that God has a plan. Death is not something to fear. The soul believes in eternal life. It says that true happiness is not on earth but in heaven. The soul is ready for death because it trusts in God’s promise. It tells the body to have faith.

In the end, the poem teaches that life is short, but the soul is forever. The body is weak, but the soul is strong. The poem ends with the idea that death is a door to a better life. If a person trusts in God, there is no reason to fear.

 

 

Line-by-Line Explanation of "The Evening-Watch: A Dialogue" by Henry Vaughan:

This poem is a conversation between the Body and the Soul. The Body speaks first, saying it is going to sleep, while the Soul responds with deeper thoughts about death, time, and eternity.

First Stanza (BODY)

"Farewell! I go to sleep; but when
The day-star springs, I’ll wake again."

The Body is preparing to sleep, which also symbolizes death. "Day-star" refers to the morning star, meaning when the next day comes, the Body will awaken. This could also suggest resurrection or eternal life.

 

Second Stanza (SOUL)

"Go, sleep in peace; and when thou liest
Unnumber’d in thy dust, when all this frame
Is but one dram, and what thou now descriest
In sev’ral parts shall want a name,"

The Soul tells the Body to rest in peace, but also reminds it that one day, it will turn to dust. "Unnumber’d in thy dust" means the Body will decay and become part of the earth, losing its identity. "One dram" refers to something small and insignificant, suggesting that the physical body will shrink to almost nothing. "What thou now descriest / In sev’ral parts shall want a name" means that the different parts of the body will no longer have names or form.

"Then may his peace be with thee, and each dust
Writ in his book, who ne’er betray’d man’s trust!"

The Soul prays for divine peace upon the Body, hoping that God, who never betrays humankind, will remember every particle of dust. "Writ in his book" refers to God recording everything in His book of life, ensuring that even the smallest part of the Body is known to Him.

 

Third Stanza (BODY)

"Amen! but hark, ere we two stray
How many hours dost think ’till day?"

The Body agrees with the Soul’s words and says "Amen," meaning "so be it." Then, it asks how long it will be until the new day arrives. This could mean the actual morning, but it could also symbolize resurrection or the afterlife.

 

Fourth Stanza (SOUL)

"Ah go; th’art weak, and sleepy. Heav’n
Is a plain watch, and without figures winds
All ages up; who drew this circle, even
He fills it; days and hours are blinds."

The Soul tells the Body to go, calling it weak and sleepy. The Soul explains that Heaven does not measure time the way humans do. "Heav’n is a plain watch" means that time in heaven is not divided into hours and minutes. God, who created the world ("who drew this circle"), controls all of time and existence. "Days and hours are blinds" means human time is like a veil, hiding the truth of eternity.

"Yet this take with thee. The last gasp of time
Is thy first breath, and man’s eternal prime."

The Soul leaves the Body with one final thought. The moment time ends (death), eternity begins. "The last gasp of time" refers to the Body’s final breath in this world. "Thy first breath" means that death is actually the beginning of a new life. "Man’s eternal prime" suggests that true life begins after death, in eternity.

 

 

Figures of Speech or Literary Devices:

1. Metaphor: Vaughan uses a metaphor when he calls life a watch. A watch means waiting or guarding something. This means life is short, like a night watch.
2. Personification: The body and the soul speak like people. This makes the poem feel like a conversation.
3. Imagery: The poet uses words to create strong pictures in the reader’s mind. He talks about time, weakness, and light. This helps the reader understand the deep meaning.
4. Symbolism: The evening symbolizes the end of life. The night means death, and the morning means new life in heaven.
5. Alliteration: Vaughan uses repeating sounds to make the poem smooth and musical.

 

Henry Vaughan’s poem talks about deep ideas. It explains that life is short, and the soul is more important than the body. It teaches that faith in God can remove the fear of death. The poem is calm and thoughtful. It helps the reader think about life and the afterlife. Vaughan’s words are simple but deep. He uses dialogue to explain different views. His poetry is full of religious ideas. The poem gives peace to those who believe in God. It teaches that death is not the end, but the start of a better life in heaven.